To Facebook or not to Facebook..that is the stigma…

Ive been wanting to use FaceBook with grade 1 for some time now…….yes grade 1 thats right. Most of the parents are on FB so its a convenient way to communicate with them, and they can send private messages as well. Most of the parents are busy on the go people who use their Blackberries and FB, Twitter etc to communicate. Its convenient for all. Plus it provides a digital record AND its published to a real audience. I cant think of a more authentic audience than that! We’d share some work on the wall, set homework tasks. Students can send me messages and each other as well. HOWEVER, we’d have very strict access. Parents & kids only. We also would not have photos of kids (closesups) on the wall. Its NOT my personal FB, its the grade 1. Grade 1 kids know about facebook and although Im not suggesting all the grade 1 kids go out and get a FB account, it is certainly a communication tool that is around them on a daily basis and they need to learn how to use this properly. It is our jobs to teach them this, or someone else will. As an international school, I probably have more freedom to use technology than I would in a state school perhaps. But the question needs to be asked if you or the parents arent teaching the kids about social networking…be assured someone else will.